


Nico's Harrowing

by fumiko6



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Dragon Age AU, F/F, Mage Nico, Templar Maki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:56:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6651280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fumiko6/pseuds/fumiko6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico is an apprentice mage about to undergo her Harrowing. Maki is the Templar assigned to watch over her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nico's Harrowing

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any mistakes in/purposeful misreadings of the Dragon Age lore. I've only played part of Origins so far...

In the top chamber of the Circle Tower, apprentice mage Nico Yazawa was finally ready for her Harrowing, the ceremony and final test by which she could become a full-fledged mage. The gray stone room was illuminated by orange and red and blue light, the midday sun filtering through the stained glass windows. She was surrounded by a crowd of Templars in their silver armor and magi in their golden robes as she crouched next to the pool of lyrium.  
   
"Be careful," First Enchanter Nozomi said to her. "Remember that the demon may take any form, even one intimately familiar to you, so as to best trick you."  
   
"Yes, I know." It was obvious, wasn't it? She was the most talented apprentice mage in the circle, and there was no way she could possibly fail her Harrowing. If she couldn't pass, no one could. It was a simple task: find the demon sent to possess her and kill it. She had been to the Fade before, and fought demons there. Demons were simple creatures, their disguises easy to see through, their forms easily destroyed with a few blasts of energy.    
   
Without a glance at the swords of the Templars (always ready to slay her if she failed, which she obviously won't), she drank a cup of lyrium from the bowl. The world around her brightened, swirled, dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors, becoming too bright for her to see. When she opened her eyes, she was in another world.  
   
The Fade was the land of dreams and nightmares, the world of demons and spirits. In the night, as one slept, part of one's soul was transported to the Fade. That was all theory. More immediately, the Fade was a land of yellow. Yellow sky, yellow dirt, dotted with rotting trees and glowing blue veins of lyrium. It was a most ugly world, and it smelled of something rotten. She was on a floating platform of sorts, nothing but a clod of yellow dirt amidst a vast void. Nico stood up and thought about her plan. She would have to explore to find the demon, but she should be able to sense it.  
   
Nico watched as a mouse crawled up near her. This couldn't be a real mouse, since nothing in this world was natural. Sure enough, the mouse glowed with the light of transformation magic, and it grew upwards, taking human shape. Was it a demon? No, probably not. The human that emerged from the glow was a person Nico had some acquaintance with.  
   
"What are you doing here?", Nico asked the human. She knew her as a Templar, one of those assigned to watch over her, except she was not wearing a Templar's armor, rather a simple dress. Nico could not remember her name no matter how hard she tried (an artifact of the Fade?), but her fiery red hair and dissatisfied visage were familiar.  
   
"I could ask the same of you," the human or not-so-human figure replied. "Shouldn't you be back at home?"  
   
"No. I'm a mage and this is my Harrowing. And you're probably the demon sent to possess me. Let's get this over with."  
   
"Wait!" Before Nico could lift her staff, the figure collapsed onto her knees. "Don't kill me! I'm not a demon!"  
   
Nico fired an arcane bolt before the demon could speak any more. It screamed, and collapsed onto the ground. That was strange; usually the demon would transform right about now. Instead she lied on the ground. Sobbing? Nico walked over to whatever the figure was and aimed her staff.  
   
"Look, I don't know if you're actually a demon or something else, but just tell me what's going on and I might consider letting you live."  
   
The figure opened her eyes, still red from the tears. "Okay. I'm the demon sent to try to possess you for your challenge or whatever. But-" Nico's staff started to glow- "Wait! Could you please not kill me just yet?"  
   
"Just spit it out, demon."  
   
"I never asked to do this but your magi still coerced me! Can you believe it? That some demons actually have desires beyond 'possess or kill the nearest human'?"  
   
Nico should not have believed it, but she could not see the figure as a demon. It was just a girl lying on the ground crying, a girl who looked and sounded exactly like the girl Nico saw every day back in the Tower, who was probably Nico's only friend and impossible crush. A Templar! Being friends with an apprentice mage? How was that possible? Much less being lovers! No, she had to be vigilant. This wasn't her. Demons were tricky creatures.  
   
"Explain to me what you want, then," Nico said with as much coldness as she could muster.  
   
"Okay, how should I put it, basically I want to be let go. You can pretend to have killed me, but I'll get out of here."  
   
"And why should I trust you, demon?"  
   
The demon sighed. "Trust whatever you want, but demons have families too. Okay, that was a lie, but, demons aren't beings of pure malevalence. What does that even mean? Why should we even care about you humans so much to want to possess you all the time?"  
   
The demon's heretical words affected Nico more than she wished. Some things about Chantry teachings were illogical, she always felt deep in her heart, but now it was coming to the fore.  
   
"Wait. You're trying to trick me, aren't you?"  
   
The demon stood up, still shaky. "I wish there was a way I could convince you. And I'm supposed to know all the secrets of your heart too. That's why I took her form. Maybe I'm just an incompetent demon. Haha. Isn't that a funny idea?"  
   
"You're still trying to trick me by feigning incompetence, aren't you?"  
   
"That's up to you to decide. Kill me now if you want. Otherwise follow me."  
   
Nico lifted her staff and filled with mana once more. But with one glance at the girl's face, slightly frowning the way she always did, Nico let the energy dissipate. Try as she might, Nico could not bring herself to kill the demon. Was she entranced already? No, that wasn't it. It couldn't be.  
   
"Huh. Since I'm still alive you can follow me if you want."  
   
Nico followed the demon through the Fade, passing through countless portals and walking through impossible geometries. "This world might be ugly as anything, but it's home," said the demon. They passed through simulacra of human civilization and the natural world, all empty of movement, devoid of life. Villages of burnt out houses, cities of silent gray towers, forests of bare branches and rotting weeds.  
   
"So what is it like being a demon?", Nico asked, somehow becoming comfortable with the demon next to her.  
   
"I don't know. What is it like being a human?"  
   
"It's painful and cruel but there are a few good parts." All traces of rancor had left Nico's voice.  
   
"Then the same goes for being a demon. Except I think you have better scenery."  
   
"How do you know anything about our scenery?"  
   
"I can read your mind, remember?"  
   
"What? Then you know about-"  
   
"Yes. I know about *that*. And also *that*. Why else would I think to take her form?"  
   
"Oh." What memories, what thoughts did she have that could be dangerous to her in the hands of the demon? She was never one for shame, but as she went through her memories and thoughts, she felt a pang of disgust at herself. Was this part of the demon's trick, too? Making her feel bad about herself?  
   
"Before you ask I'm not actually affecting your mind in any way," the demon said, breaking Nico's train of thought.  
   
"How am I supposed to believe you?"  
   
"Well, you don't have to believe anything I say. What if I said that you're an embarrassing mess but everyone loves you for it anyways?"  
   
"Wait. What do you mean?"  
   
The demon ignored Nico. "I'm pretty sure she likes you too. Do you believe that?"  
   
"How the hells am I supposed to believe that?" But part of Nico (a big part) wanted to trust the demon's words.  
   
"After you get out of this mess you should confess to her. See what happens then."  
   
Yes... after she got out of this mess, things would be a lot easier between the two of them...  
   
After what must have been the hundredth portal, Nico finally thought to remember that this was her Harrowing and she had to defeat the demon.  
   
"Do you have something to show me or are you just trying to buy time?", Nico shouted.  
   
"Well, you got me right there. I don't actually have a plan to convince you of anything. And I'm thinking of a way both of us could get out of here alive but I can't. But I really don't want to fight, and honestly I don't care about my existence all too much. So if you want, just kill me."  
   
"Sorry." Nico fired a blast of lightning at the demon. It shook and collapsed with a scream that sounded all too human.  
   
"Why aren't you fighting back?"  
   
The demon coughed. "Maybe my current existence isn't that important."  
   
"But demons are supposed to-"  
   
"Oh, shut up. Wow, it hurts worse than I expected. Anyway, another blast and I'm done for."  
   
Nico couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to kill a defenseless creature, even if it was a demon. And what's worse, she was somehow developing *feelings* for the demon.  
   
"What, you won't kill me?" Nico didn't reply. "I heal pretty quickly you know. Just make the pain stop."  
   
Nico shook her head and sat down. She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill the demon. It had won. She would fail the Harrowing and be killed as an abomination. It wasn't as if she ever deserved to be a mage anyway. It was just too bad for her mother and her sisters. Hopefully they would at least get a few gold for her death.  
 

* * *

  
"She has been gone for too long," knight-commander Eli said, back in the Harrowing Chamber. "There is a strong risk that she will turn into an abomination soon. We must kill her."  
   
"Wait!", First Enchanter Nozomi said. "I know Nico well. She is just taking her time."  
   
"It's been hours already! Of all the Harrowings that have lasted this long, all have ended with the apprentice becoming an abomination."  
   
"Still, that is no reason to give up hope! I trust her!"  
   
The Knight-Commander ignored her. "Maki, are you ready to do this?"  
   
Maki shook her head. "But the First Enchanter-"  
   
"I am your commander, not her. Do you truly think I know nothing of your liaisons with this apprentice? This is a reminder to not let your feelings cloud your loyalty to the Chantry."  
   
"No! We never did anything like that!"  
   
"Save your protestations. You are a Templar, Maki. If you will not do it I will have to."  
   
Maki felt a chill pass through her body, even though it was stifling in her thick armor. Slowly, she reached for the sword on her back, inching her hand towards it. But she froze. No. She couldn't do it, not just yet. She moved as slowly as possible, putting her fingers on the sword's handle, feeling the creases in its leather, closing her eyes to avoid glancing at the girl lying helplessly. All she hoped for was that Nico would wake up any second now.  
 

* * *

  
"Just do it, you loser pathetic excuse for a mage."  
   
The demon had gotten to taunting her, and it wasn't working.  
   
"Look, if you want to die so badly why don't you transform into your true form?"  
   
"Because my true form is honestly pretty gross and I want to die looking pretty."  
   
"Then can you at least change your form into something besides her?"  
   
"The only other form I can become is you. Or the mouse, but that's pretty gross too."  
   
"If you want to die so badly why don't you do it yourself?"  
   
"Blame the magi. They placed a hex on me."  
   
"Why do you want to die, anyway?"  
   
"It's a demon thing. You wouldn't understand."  
   
Nico sighed. "You remind me a lot of her, not just in looks."  
   
"Oh come on, it's obviously just a mental trick."  
   
"Still."  
   
They sat next to each other in the Fade, demon and mage. Maybe if they met under different circumstances... maybe they already had.  
   
"Okay. I'll fight you," the demon said, standing up.  
   
"Sorry. I mean, thanks. No, wait, I meant-" 

 

* * *

  
"Will you kill her or let us do it?"  
   
Maki had finally pulled out her sword. She glanced at the crowd gathered around her. Maybe there was- no, it was impossible, there were too many other Templars, all of whom more experienced than she was. And what if Nico really did become an abomination? Would she actually have to kill her then? No, Nico would never become an abomination. She was far too strong for that. She would be fine, Maki knew.  
   
"Remember the Chant, Maki, remember that magic must serve man, not rule over him. Remember that magi who cannot face their demons threaten all of humanity."  
   
Maki finally glanced at Nico, watching for any signs of the girl waking. A twitch? Was it real? Yes, it had to be real. Nico was moving, her head turning ever so slightly, arms bending, legs giving way. She slid to the floor, rolling onto her back, and opened one eye, and then the other. She blinked.  
   
The First Enchanter smiled. "See, I told you she would pull through." The Knight-Commander tried to hide it, but she also breathed a sigh of relief.  
   
Maki collapsed, dropping her sword to the side. She hugged Nico, sobbing, finally letting go of hours of tension, not caring about the icy stares trained on her from the other Templars.  
   
"You're killing me, Maki. Just let me breathe." Nico was crying too. She felt the weight of guilt upon her, of pity, as if her friend had died by her own hand. The demon had not put up a fight, even as she said she would. It had to be done, Nico tried to repeat to herself. It had to be done. There was no other choice. Even if she let the templars kill her in the real world, they would still have to hunt her and the demon down within the Fade. Then both of them would die. But what if she protected them both? No, she wasn't strong enough. The demon had known.  
   
Nico wondered about the demon's words. What if she wasn't tricking her? What if most of what she said was true? Even when she changed into her "original" form, the demon was still *her*. What if there were more demons like her? What if the Chantry was wrong about demons to begin with? Maybe she could do something about it.  
   
"Oh, Maker, I'm so glad to see you alive. I just..." Maki stared at Nico, gazing into the new mage's eyes. She was different. Something had changed in the Harrowing. No matter, what was truly important was that she was alive, and could be with her, for now.  
   
"Yeah. We can talk later. I want to take a nap." Finally Nico noticed the throbbing pain in her head.  
   
"A bit late for a nap. It's already night," said the First Enchanter.  
   
"Oh, then, I want to sleep for a long time. Maki, take me to my chambers."


End file.
